Pt 2 - Day 59 - Coober Pedy

This morning we set the alarm for 6am.  Pitch black outside at this time of the day.  We make sure everything is locked and secured and just hope to goodness the van will be okay while we were away.  Unfortunately we didn't have many van storage options.  When we pull out of the park at 7am the sun is still not up.   I just can't get used to daylight savings and while it doesn't worry us on our travels, I thank my lucky stars we don't have it at home!!

We have 540km to drive today, but it is so nice not to have the van on and to be out in the wide open spaces.  We are on a decent road where everyone waves hello and the only thing you have to worry about is a cow or an emu wondering across the road in front of you.  The landscape is very bare, not many trees and the Pimbi roadhouse is like an oasis after the first 200km.  I drive most of the way today to give Glen a break.  I encounter a mob of kamikazee cockies and reduce the group by about 5, and when we stop for the toilet, one is still wedged in our roo bar, much to the horror of Shannae!!!

We arrive at Coober Pedy to a beautiful 36C.  A bit of a shock to our system, we have forgotten what heat is like.  The place is dry, dusty and there are mounds of sand and rock everywhere from the mining.  The town itself has a few shops down the main street, every second one selling opals, and we are struck by the security rails on all the windows and doors, reminds us a bit of Carnarvon.  Every hill has a house built into it.  We find our hotel "the Underground Motel", where our rooms are built in to the side of a large hill.  Thankfully it is quite cool in here.

Our car parked outside our hotel room.

We are not feeling too much like sightseeing in this heat, as we are a bit weary adjusting to this temperature, but we head out anyway.  Firstly to the Opal Cave where we find our first underground shop.  What a bizarre sight.  What looks like a run down little house from the outside, opens up to a beautiful showroom underneath, a cave of jewels.  The kids can't believe it.  Opals everywhere, they can't get their money out of their wallets quick enough.

The first place we visit is "Faye's house".  A residence that was dug out by hand by three ladies in the 1960's.  We just can't imagine how hard it must have been and are amazed by the number of rooms including a decent sized cellar for the bar.
After this we head out to the Serbian Church which is not only underground but has had carvings carved into the walls and ceiling.  Quite an amazing place.
This afternoon we head to the Big Winch" lookout where we encounter some very bizarre "art" work and it is about now that we start to realise that the people living in Coober Pedy are quite unique.

"Art"

One view of Coober Pedy from the lookout.  Yes, these are all car wrecks that have just been left!!!

Coober Pedy is certainly like no other place we have seen so far.  Cody is beside himself with all the rocks to choose from and by the end of the day his pants are weighed down with all the treasures he has collected.  He can't wait for "noodling" tomorrow when he can search for opals.  The girls are also in awe of this beautiful stone and start to count their pennies for the jewellery purchases that plan to make before we leave!!!!!